October 16-29, 2002

Contact: Doug Williams (360) 902-2256

Unseasonably warm and dry fall weather is making for pleasant, if not wildly successful, fishing and hunting outings in many parts of Washington state.

Dry forests make it difficult for deer hunters to move quietly in the woods, while low water conditions in some streams have constrained returning adult salmon to the lower stretches of rivers until flows increase.

As expected, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) hunting observers noted the best hunting on opening weekend of the modern firearm deer season was in eastern Washington, particularly the easternmost portions. Nearly one-third of the deer hunters checked in the Asotin area were successful.

The eastern Washington modern firearm general elk hunting season opens Oct. 26 in many units in the three eastside regions. Growing elk herds and agricultural damage caused by elk in many areas mean more hunting opportunities, although much of that is in special permits. Check the WDFW "Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules" pamphlet for details.

The lack of rain notwithstanding, bird hunters have a tremendous number of opportunities throughout the state. Pheasant seasons are in full swing in both eastern and western Washington, as are forest grouse, chukar and partridge seasons. Goose hunting runs through Oct. 24 in selected management areas, while the general duck season opens again Oct. 26. Be sure to check the WDFW "Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game Seasons" pamphlet for specifics.

Salmon-fishing enthusiasts who thought their chances at landing a nice bright coho ended when the calendar changed from September to October haven't been on the Cowlitz River lately. With an expected return in excess of 50,000 fish, the Cowlitz is sure to provide excellent coho fishing for weeks to come.

The steady stream of salmon and steelhead surging up the Columbia River has provided the backbone of some great fishing opportunities in eastern Washington, including a selective fishery for marked hatchery steelhead in the upper Columbia and some of its tributaries. Lake fishing for trout, perch and other species can also be especially rewarding this time of year.

Anyone interested in going razor clamming should mark Oct. 23 as the day to check the WDFW website for domoic acid test results. Elevated levels of the naturally occurring toxin at all five ocean beaches have put the annual fall digs on hold until Washington Department of Health tests show the clams are once again safe to eat.

Here are the details on fishing, hunting and wildlife-viewing opportunities throughout the state:

North Puget Sound:

• Fishing: Coho salmon fishing continues in the saltwater throughout northern Puget Sound, but the fish are becoming fewer and farther between, notes WDFW Fish Biologist Curt Kraemer, who suggests saltwater fishers run their gear deep to get at what's left of this year's return. There are lots of coho in most of the region's big rivers, including the Snohomish River and its tributaries, where Kraemer said this year's escapement will likely be above average."It's definitely looking like a stronger return than was forecast in the pre-season estimates," he said. Coho anglers in the southern portion of the region might want to try the Green River. The river is now open from the mouth to the Auburn-Black Diamond Road Bridge near Soos Creek. There's a six-salmon daily limit, but no more than two may be adults, and all chinook must be released. The upper Green River, from the mouth of Soos Creek upstream to the Tacoma Headworks Dam, opens Nov. 1 with a two-fish daily limit, and only chum salmon may be retained in that portion of the river. Speaking of chum, test fisheries for chum off Vancouver Island are pointing to an exceptional return of the big fish to Puget Sound. There's still a little time until the chum start showing in numbers within the region. Saltwater beach fishers in northern Puget Sound can often get chum to take a small whole herring fished under a bobber. In the rivers, try large plugs, spin-glows with sand shrimp, and other typical steelhead drift gear, including plain yarn. Kraemer said chartreuse has always been a good color for catching chum, as are black and purple. "Chum are a great sport fish to catch. They're big, aggressive fish, and they fight like mad," he said. The Lake Washington coho fishery continues through the end of October. There is a two-fish daily limit and coho can only be kept north of the State Route 520 floating bridge and east of the Montlake Bridge. Lake Sammamish is also open to salmon fishing through the end of November. All sockeye must be released, and there's no fishing within 100 yards of the mouth of Issaquah Creek. Expect great cutthroat trout fishing in most of the region's rivers as long as water levels remain low.

• Hunting: Warm, dry weather made getting a buck during the opening weekend of the modern firearm deer season difficult throughout northern Puget Sound, game managers reported. Hunters depending upon stealth to get close to their targets are having a hard time navigating through dry brush without making too much noise. Muzzleloaders going after deer had their early opener, Oct. 5-9, and now must wait until Nov. 20 when the second half of their hunting opportunity begins. Waterfowl hunting has also suffered from the lack of rain because fields that normally have standing water on them are still high and dry. The early part of the season ends Oct. 16, then re-opens Oct. 26 and runs until Jan. 26. Pheasant hunting continues through Dec. 15.

• Wildlife viewing: As if the changing leaves and cooler weather weren't enough, the thousands of snow geese and other seasonal waterfowl arriving in northern Puget Sound's agricultural areas should provide ample evidence that fall is upon us. Check the fields along the Skagit River both upstream and downstream of Mount Vernon, and along other area rivers, for glimpses of the brilliant white geese, plus Canada geese and other seasonal visitors. There are thick concentrations of birds elsewhere in the region – look for big groups of red-throated loons in sheltered bays and coves throughout the San Juan Islands. One birder reporting to the Tweeters website noted that several thousand surf scoters had amassed in Penn Cove. Hikers along streams and small rivers could be treated to a spawning salmon display.

Olympic Peninsula/South Sound:

• Fishing: Anyone wondering about the prospects for a razor clam opening should check the department's website (http://wdfw.wa.gov/) Oct. 23. That's the day test results are expected back from the Washington Department of Health on domoic acid levels in clams dug on ocean beaches. As of Oct. 6, when clams taken during the last test dig were analyzed, domoic acid levels at all five ocean beaches were well above 20 parts per million (ppm), the threshold at which the clams are no longer considered safe to eat. Twin Harbors had the highest toxin levels at 60 ppm, followed by Copalis (53 ppm), Kalaloch (52 ppm), Mocrocks (45 ppm) and Long Beach (38 ppm). All of those levels were higher than the previous week, when WDFW announced that the fall razor clam opener would be delayed until domoic acid levels subsided. "The next round of tests should give us an indication of whether the toxin levels have begun to fall or whether they're still rising," said Dan Ayres, lead WDFW shellfish biologist for the coast. "It's tough knowing that we have such a large quantity of clams out there, yet we can't open up the season." In 1998, during the last coastwide razor clam closure, domoic acid levels reached 100 ppm in late October and didn't subside until after the close of the regularly scheduled spring season, Ayres said. "We're really hoping to avoid repeating that situation," he said, noting that Oregon beaches have also been closed to razor clam digging since Oct. 10 due to elevated toxin counts. Ayres warned that ingesting clams with high domoic acid levels can produce a variety of ailments, and can be fatal in extreme cases. "For their own safety, it is very important for people to wait for the `all clear' signal before they go to the beach to dig razor clams," Ayres said. Since 2000 WDFW has been participating in a joint study with several other state, federal and tribal agencies to learn more about harmful algal blooms, like the one that is causing the current domoic acid increases. Check the website http://www.nwfsc.noaa.gov/orhab/ to learn more about this study. Salmon fishing is still productive on a number of rivers, although getting them to bite can be a challenge. One hotspot was the Chehalis River at Montesano, where 242 anglers caught 24 chinook and 59 coho Oct. 13. The action dropped off considerably that week farther down the river toward Grays Harbor, but that doesn't mean the run is over, said Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. "We've been seeing dark fish upriver, followed by a wave of bright fish," she said. "That indicates the salmon are still coming in." Farther north, the Dungeness River in Clallam County opened Oct. 16 for hatchery coho, although low-water conditions prompted WDFW biologist Bill Freymond to caution anglers against snagging and other illegal fishing tactics. "Anglers should know that enforcement officers will be there to ensure an orderly fishery," he said. The same is true on north coast rivers, where low-water conditions have left salmon and steelhead especially vulnerable. Meanwhile, WDFW has begun stocking the Vance Creek ponds in Elma with up to 1,800 coho and 150 steelhead from the Lake Aberdeen Hatchery. Pond No. 1, which is reserved for anglers under age 15 or over 70, will receive the majority of the steelhead. The bag limit for both ponds is five fish per day, only two of which may be steelhead. A Catch Record Card is not required.

• Hunting: The same dry weather that is creating extreme low-water conditions in spawning streams is also producing some very difficult hunting conditions. Whether hunting for deer, ducks or geese, hunters are finding it difficult to locate game – let alone stalk it – in such dry conditions, said Max Zahn, WDFW wildlife biologist. "With virtually no standing water in the fields, there is little incentive for ducks and geese to leave the salt water," Zahn said. "And under these dry, cold conditions, deer hunters are finding that they can't move without making a lot of noise." At the Vail Tree Farm, one of the most productive deer hunting areas in the state, 1,476 hunters took just 65 bucks and 24 anterless deer during opening weekend. At the Dayton unit, 145 hunters were checked with 14 deer, while 113 hunters took eight deer in the Artic unit. "Once we get some rain, hunting is expected to be pretty good this year," Zahn said. "Basically, these conditions tend to spread the harvest out throughout the season. The best days for hunting this year are still ahead of us."

• Wildlife viewing: Anyone with a fruit tree, mountain ash or Portuguese laurel in his or her yard knows the birds are on the move. Marauding bands of robins, sparrows and starlings routinely sweep in, dozens at a time, plucking berries, chirping wildly and generally creating a commotion. On the Washington coast, this spectacle is played out on a grand scale as thousands of seabirds pass through on their fall migration. One newspaper naturalist recently wrote about seeing hundreds of brown pelicans fly past the mouth of the Quillayute River between Rialto Beach and La Push. These impressive birds, bound for nesting areas off the California coast, have shown a dramatic increase in numbers in the 30 years since the pesticide DDT banned. Even more numerous are the California, herring and western gulls, thousands of which are currently congregated near the mouth of the Hoh River. Farther north, cormorants may be the predominant species of seabirds visible on the rocky cliffs of Cape Flattery, but rhinoceros auklets, common murres, oystercatchers and dozens of other species are also on display. The Makah Tribe has built a trail and four viewing platforms at the tip of the cape, offering a spectacular view of this pelagic pageant. Many birders are taking to the water to view the fall migrants. One passenger aboard a bird watching cruise to Protection Island, wrote of her sightings in Tweeters, the on-line birders' chatroom. Her lists included several different types of loons, scoters, cormorants and ducks (harlequin and bufflehead) as well as a marbled murrelet and more than 1,000 harbor seals. That particular cruise was offered by the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, which is currently booking trips through the end of the year. For more information, call 1-800-566-3962.

Southwest Washington:

• Fishing: While there are still some chinook salmon to be caught in the lower Columbia River below Bonneville Dam through October, WDFW Fish Biologist Joe Hymer said coho salmon is the best bet for the region's salmon fishers. "Based on average run-timing, we could see a return of about 50,000 fish to the Cowlitz," Hymer said. "That means we'll be trucking a lot of those hatchery fish into the upper watershed." Look for salmon to be placed into Mayfield and Scanewa lakes plus the upper Cowlitz and Tilton rivers as part of a plan to return spawning populations of coho into the upper watershed. Nearly 15,000 fish have already been released into the upper watershed this year. "Compared to the pre-season forecast of 58,900 coho returning to the Columbia, it looks like the actual return will be at least double that, and likely closer to 200,000 fish," Hymer said. "That's a great improvement from what we thought in the pre-season. It's not the mega-run that we had last year with over a million Columbia River coho, but it's still an excellent return." Hymer said the mouth of the Klickitat River has steadily provided anglers with good fishing, with catches averaging a coho per rod. Late runs of coho are also expected on the Elochoman, Kalama, Lewis, and Washougal rivers. Sturgeon fishing on the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam is strictly catch and release until Nov. 23 when retention of the prehistoric-looking fish will again be allowed. Hymer said fishing pressure has been light above Bonneville Dam, where sturgeon retention is still allowed with a one-fish daily limit. The current "sleeper" fishery in southwest Washington might going after big sea-run cutthroat trout in the lower Cowlitz River. "Using small lures, such as a Dick Nite, a Mepps spinner, flies, or even nightcrawlers on really light tackle makes this a great fishery," Hymer said. "There's a five-fish daily limit for trout on the lower Cowlitz, and it's definitely a fun day of fishing."

• Hunting: The early duck-hunting season in the lower Columbia River got off to a slow start, mainly because of poor water levels in the field and an incompatible tide series. WDFW Regional Wildlife Manager Fred Dobler said hunter participation had increased from previous opening seasons, despite the less-than-ideal hunting conditions this year. Hunters contacted soon after the opener reported slightly more than one-third of their harvest had been mallard, followed by widgeon, green wing teal and pintail. Pheasant hunter numbers were up slightly over last year at the Shillapoo Wildlife Area, Dobler said. The modern firearm season for deer got under way Oct. 12, and early reports are that hunters had a hard time finding their prey. Dobler said most hunters attributed their lack of success to the generally dry forest conditions. Hunter check station numbers show the Pe Ell check station with the highest success rate, with about 10 percent of the hunters getting a deer. Other check stations with lower success rates include the Headquarters Road check station, the 19-Mile check station, and finally the station at Cougar, where checkers counted just one deer for 250 hunters. Slow deer hunting was also noted in the Klickitat Wildlife Area, Dobler said.

• Wildlife viewing: A black phoebe was spotted recently at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. A rare visitor to Washington state, black phoebes are much more common in the desert Southwestern United States. These flycatchers are about 6 to 7 ½ inches in length and are mostly black in color with a white chest, flank, side, and a grayish/white undertail. Much bigger recent visitors to the refuge are sandhill cranes, with counts as high as 1,500 individuals recently, according to the Tweeters birding website. The crane is listed as a "species of concern" on the state endangered species list. The big birds can be seen along State Route 501, near the wildlife refuge, and throughout the North Unit of the Shillapoo Wildlife Area. The first of the fall migrant Canada geese have arrived in the region. Southwest Washington annually sees seven subspecies of Canada geese each fall, with the "cackler" subspecies often being the first group to arrive. Brightly colored kokanee trout, the landlocked version of sockeye salmon, are spawning in Cougar Creek and present a great show. A tributary to the Yale Reservoir, Cougar Creek can be found about 30 miles north of Woodland on State Route 503, just near the town of Cougar. Look for spawning 10- to 12-inch trout near the SR 503 bridge.

Eastern Washington:

• Fishing: Southeast steelhead fishers can now take up to three hatchery fish per day on the Snake River, from the mouth upstream to the Washington / Oregon state boundary, and on the following waters: Grande Ronde River in Asotin County, from the County Road Bridge, about 2 ½ miles upstream from the mouth, to the stateline; Mill Creek in Walla Walla County, from the mouth to the Roosevelt Street bridge in Walla Walla; Touchet River in Columbia and Walla Walla counties, from the mouth to the confluence of the north and south forks; Tucannon River in Columbia and Garfield counties, from the mouth to Cummings Bridge, and Walla Walla River in Walla Walla County, the mainstem from the mouth upstream to the stateline. The change from the usual two steelhead daily catch limit was made Oct. 12 to allow fishers to take advantage of one of the largest returns of hatchery steelhead on record, and to be consistent with new Oregon and Idaho rules in boundary waters. All other rules still apply, including wild steelhead release and gear restrictions as listed in the fishing rules pamphlet by water. Lake Roosevelt continues to provide good rainbow trout fishing. A couple of trout waters in the region – Badger Lake in Spokane County and Williams Lake in Stevens County – were re-opened, as of Oct. 9, without catch limits through Oct. 21 to allow fishers a chance to catch anything available before the lakes are treated with rotenone to remove undesirable fish. Badger had closed Sept. 30 and Williams is usually a Dec. 1-opening lake. North Silver Lake in Spokane County, normally a year-round water, is also scheduled for treatment and is now closed through Jan. 31.

• Hunting: Deer hunting continues through Oct. 20 or 25, depending on game management unit (see Big Game Hunting Regulations for details). Opening weekend check stations showed high hunter success rates. In the southeast district, WDFW Wildlife Biologist Pat Fowler and Eyes-in-the-Woods volunteers checked 226 hunters in Asotin with 64 bucks and four does for a 30 percent success rate. Fowler says the last time a check station was conducted in Asotin was 1991 with 358 hunters, 56 bucks, and a 16 percent success rate. This year the check station was resurrected to test deer for chronic wasting disease and DNA analysis, he explained. Fowler attributes the lower number of hunters and higher success rate to the fact that a hunt club has much of the Couse unit (181) in Asotin County leased to a limited number of hunters. In the northeast district, WDFW Wildlife Biologist Steve Zender and Inland Northwest Wildlife Council volunteers checked about 400 hunters at Deer Park with 40 antlerless whitetail deer, 43 whitetail bucks, and eight mule deer bucks, for an overall success rate of 23 percent. Hunter numbers are about the same as last year's Deer Park check station on the opener, but the number of bucks more than doubled. Many were mature bucks with three antler points or more, with only 44 percent of the harvest in yearlings. Antlerless harvest by youth, disabled, senior, and permit hunters was up about 14 percent. Pheasant hunting should be boosted with the release of about 1,600 rooster pheasants on the region's selected sites (Sherman Creek up north, FishTrap in the central district, and the Snake River areas to the south: John Henley, Willow Bar, Rice Bar, Chief Timothy, hartsock, Bennington Lake, Two Rivers, Hollenbeck, and Wallula.) For more details, see Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program or ask for a copy of the program booklet at WDFW's Spokane regional office. Modern firearm general bull elk hunting opens Oct. 26 in the Blue Mountains where it's spike only, and in the northeast district where any bull is fair game. Elk hunters have new opportunity this year in the Threeforks (109) and Selkirk (113) units in Stevens and Pend Oreille counties. Any bull is legal in that portion of 109 east of Aladdin-Northport road and throughout 113 for the first time. Any elk (bull or cow) is legal in that part of 109 west of Aladdin-Northport road); see page 36 of the 2002-2003 Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules Pamphlet.

• Wildlife viewing: The fifth-annual Walla Walla Fall Festival of Feathers and Foliage, Oct. 26-29, is a great opportunity to learn about and enjoy the incredible diversity of birds in the Walla Walla area. Free programs include the ever popular "owl prowl" in the local cemetery, field trips to nearby McNary National Wildlife Refuge, and landscaping for wildlife workshops. New this year are tours by WDFW's Upland Wildlife Restoration manager Ted Johnson of local habitat developments, bird identification programs by WDFW Wildlife Biologist Howard Ferguson, and a booth on WDFW's Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary program. For more information, see http://www.downtownwallawalla.com/ . Fall foliage colors are not just brilliant in the Walla Walla area now, but also in many of eastern Washington's streamside areas where deciduous trees thrive and migrating birds congregate. WDFW Wildlife Biologist Steve Zender especially notes upper Ferry County, along the Kettle River from Curlew to Danville, and the northern end of Pend Oreille County along the Pend Oreille River, are extraordinary with color at this time. Take your camera for colorful pictures and binoculars for observing waterfowl and other birds.

North Central Washington:

• Fishing: Large returns of steelhead allowed the opening on Oct. 12 of hatchery steelhead fishing on the Upper Columbia River, from Rocky Reach Dam upriver to Chief Joseph Dam; the Methow River from the mouth to the confluence with the Chewuch River in Winthrop; and the Okanogan River, from the mouth upriver to a quarter mile below the railway trestle below Zosel Dam. All wild steelhead must be released and only hatchery fish with adipose or ventral fin clips can be kept. Selective gear rules and night fishing closures are in effect. At Potholes Reservoir in the Columbia Basin, bass action has been good, walleye continue to show, and good-size rainbow trout are being reported all over the reservoir and at Soda Lake. A couple of trout lakes in the region that are scheduled for rotenone treatment to rid them of undesirable fish are open without catch limits to allow fishers to remove any available fish. Okanogan County' s Davis Lake and Grant County's Martha Lake are open through Jan. 31. Other lakes scheduled for treatment recently closed to all fishing, including Okanogan County's Alta and Dibble lakes and Grant County's Dusty, Magpie, and South Ancient lakes. Dibble, Magpie, and South Ancient will re-open on Jan. 31.

• Hunting: Deer hunting continues through Oct. 20 in the region's open units. WDFW Wildlife Biologist Scott Fitkin reports about a 7 percent success rate among those hunters he contacted at the Chewuch River check station in Okanongan County over opening weekend. Fitkin reported 809 hunters with 56 deer, including 43 taken by youth or disabled hunters who are allowed to harvest any deer in most Okanogan County units. "The check station is just one measure of hunting in this area," Fitkin noted, "but based on those figures, hunter numbers and youth harvest are about the same as last year but adult buck harvest is down by about half." Dry conditions may contribute to lower success rates, but Fitkin also believes more adult hunters are focusing first on helping their young hunters harvest deer. Pheasant hunting should be boosted with the release of about 1,650 roosters on the region's selected sites (Sinlahekin, Chiliwist, Chelan Butte, Banks Lake, Steamboat Rock, Swakane, Gloyd Seeps, Quincy, Winchester Lake, Buckshot, and Linda Lake). See Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program for more details. or ask for a copy of the program booklet at WDFW's Ephrata regional office. Modern firearm general bull elk hunting opens Oct. 26 and WDFW wildlife biologist Tom McCall says there will be good spike bull elk opportunities in the Colockum this year. Hunters with branch-antlered bull permits should also see many trophy-quality animals available.

• Wildlife viewing: The last weekend of Okanogan County's "Follow the Salmon Home" festival is in Oroville Oct. 19-20. The festival has been running since late September, moving with the chinook salmon returning to the upper Columbia River each weekend to a different community. Sponsored by the Upper Columbia Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group and the Colville Confederated Tribes, the festival will open each weekend with a Native American canoe fleet coming up the river and a traditional salmon bake, courtesy of the tribes. There will also be native dancers, stagecoach and covered wagon rides, storytellers, kids' fishing pond, live music, carnival and vendor booths. For more information, call 509-486-2400.

South Central Washington:

• Fishing: The Hanford Reach area of the Columbia River near the Tri-Cities is hot for hatchery steelhead fishing, which just opened Oct. 12, thanks to a record high runs. The open area is from the Highway 395 bridge at Pasco to the old Hanford townsite power poles just upstream of the Ringold Hatchery. All wild steelhead must be released and only hatchery fish with adipose and ventral fin clips can be kept. Selective gear rules and night fishing closures are in effect. Meanwhile, the chinook salmon fishery in the Hanford Reach, upstream from the old Hanford town site, closed Oct. 22. The section of the river from the town site downstream to the Highway 395 bridge remains open through Dec. 31. The daily bag limit was recently increased from two to four adult chinook, due to an unexpectedly high return of fish. That bag limit revision is for the portion of river from the Highway 395 bridge at Pasco upstream to Priest Rapids Dam. The total daily bag limit remains at six salmon, no more than four of which may be adults and no more than two of which may be coho. The minimum size is 12 inches. WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins says the Yakima River above Roza Dam remains good a bet for rainbow trout fishing. "Although the Yakima is open year around, " Cummins said, "anglers who want to get in late season trout fishing on most other rivers and streams need to get out soon, as the general stream fishing season closes Oct. 31." Cummins and others have been busy with annual bull trout spawning surveys, and remind fishers that bull trout are listed as endangered, and if caught, must be released. Fishers should also check the fishing pamphlet for waters that are closed to all fishing where bull trout spawn.

• Hunting: Pheasant hunting should be boosted with the release of about 850 rooster pheasants on the region's selected sites (Colcockum, Wenas/l.T. Murray, Ringold, Sunnyside, Big Flat, Hill Road). For more details, see Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program or ask for a copy of the program booklet at WDFW's Yakima regional office. Modern firearm general bull elk hunting opens Oct. 26. Elk hunters have new opportunity this year in the Kiona (372) unit in Benton and Yakima counties, and the East Klickitat (382) unit in Klickitat County. Due to agricultural damage by elk in these areas, any elk (bull or cow) is legal to harvest now in both units during the Oct. 26- Nov. 3 season.

• Wildlife viewing: WDFW fish biologist Jim Cummins reports there is an opportunity for the next couple of weeks to observe Rimrock Lake kokanee spawning in the North Fork Tieton below Clear Lake. "These are 11- to12- inch fish," Cummins said. "Since kokanee are salmon, they die after they spawn and that means there might also be an opportunity to see a bald eagle feeding on kokanee carcasses." Cummins says an adult bald eagle was recently seen in the area. The North Fork Tieton below Clear Lake Dam is closed to fishing to protect spawning kokanee and bull trout.